Wild Arms: Nomad's Justice
by Beowolf
Summary: Filgaia is slowly dying after a fierce war with enemies from beyond the stars. With exntiction all but certain, the seed of Filgaia humbly await the end. This is the story of those who have the courage to believe in the future.
1. Prologue

Filgaia...

A world of green fields sparkling oceans, and golden deserts.

It is a world in its prime, a brilliant light in the vast Sea of Stars.

On this planet dwell two races in tenuous coexistence.

The humans, who long for the stars and the Elw, who revere the planet.

The two races bring together their distinct knowledge and with this they are able to reach the stars.

It is a time of prosperity, bounty, and great technological advancement.

It is also a world devoid of heart.

As people advance into the stars, faith and beliefs begin to fade.

Hearts blinded by power, Human and Elw alike cast aside notions of justice.

It is in this era of bounty that the two peoples come to face their darkest days.

From beyond the sea of stars comes a race of beings far exceeding both human and Elw in power and technology.

A fierce war ensues, and upon witnessing the merciless might of their enemy, human and Elw alike come to call their foe "Neo Deimos" or New Demons, harkening back to the frightful myths of old.

The war lasts for the better part of a century, the planets human and Elw had gained fell to the Neo Deimos one after another becoming nothing but wasteland as the locust-like Neo Deimos consume them from the inside out.

Finally humans and Elw were forced to take haven in neigh forgotten Filgaia, in this the last bastion of hope, the humans choose to make a last stand. However, the Elw do not follow in kind.

Sensing inevitable doom, the vast populace of Elw uses their technology to embark on a mass exodus, abandoning Filgaia to its certain end.

Prologue

Many heroes rise and fall in this great battle. The humans manage to fight the Neo Deimos to a standstill. But in the process the planet becomes a vast wasteland.

The Neo Deimos come within grasp of a final crushing victory, but in the last moment suddenly vanish.

1000 years later the story of this Great War in no more then legend. Humanity rebuilds with what little is left, eking out small rural existences out of the few patches of green that remain.

Humans brace themselves for what seems certain inevitable extinction. But among them are those who still believe, who still have faith in the future.

They are known by many names, Nomads, Dream Chasers, Migrants, Mercs…Whatever one may call them one truth rings for all of them. They fight for the hope of tomorrow, the love of life, and the courageous desire to make miracles real.

This is the story of one such band of dreamers…


	2. Chapter 1: To forge a Legacy: part 1

Chapter 1: To Forge a Legacy part 1

1000 years ago…

Arm's Laboratory. Westeregion

The low mechanical hum of machinery and computers was filling the stiff air, punctuated by the light clacking indicating someone was typing on a keyboard. The entire room was encircled on its rim with computers and consoles, in the back corner a tall cylindrical machine stood. In it, an Elw, a young man by human reckoning, was floating in what seemed a peaceful slumber, heedless of the green-blue liquid surrounding him.

"Is the Gene Driver active yet?" asked a young woman as she entered the lab.

"No, not yet, Ms. Armitage, er Marianel, er I mean ms Marianel Armitage-" a young man who was hunched over a computer turned to address her, taking note of her features as he did, long golden hair, fiery red eyes, a leggy, slender pale body. When the woman pierced him with an angry glare he lit up red and spluttered the rest of his answer in a distressed grunt.

"Alchemical reaction is still at minimum value, transmutation can't occur until we're at or past maximum value." The man saw agitation slowly creep into the eyes of his interrogator and he felt all to certain that he was on the verge of being a bloodless shell of a man.

"What's taking so long? This should have been done an hour ago, by now we should be into the hard-data loading phase." She allowed a small glimmer of agitation to show in her eyes.

"Yes, yes, I know..it's just..agh.." the man rushed his hand through his hair and sighed a short hard sigh. "No one here's gotten sleep for the past 48 hours. We've been pushing this entire week, the hard parts over so we should-" he paused when he saw Marianel reached into her lab coat absentmindedly though he sensed mount irritation radiating from her.

"I'm sorry, I was under the impression we we're involved in a WAR, I'm SO sorry that in all this turmoil you haven't had the chance for some beauty sleep." She turned curtly and let her eyes fall on the cylindrical machine again.

After a short time of allowing her eyes to trace the features of the young Elw inside she let out a long winded sigh. "Alright, The Gene Drive infusion is the last step before the final phase. I'll see who I can pull from other departments. Anyone who wants to, go get some sleep, and something to eat.." For a few seconds, there was silence, then- "THAT'S AN ORDER!!" Immediately the sounds of squeaking leather chairs and hustling fit briefly muffled the low hum of machines as several technicians filed out of the room en masse. Marianel was not surprised when she found herself alone in the room.

"Humans and Elw, they get tired so easily-" she lightly stepped toward the Gene Drive apparatus in which the Elw floated. "But then, when your time is eternal, things like that tend to escape your mind." She let her hand lightly graze the glass window that separated them. "But then, you already understand that right Juno?" She smiled to herself sadly. Then turned and left the room leaving the Elw known as Juno alone to his dreams.

In Juno's mind the events of just three weeks ago played in his mind as though they were yesterday.

"_My names Juno Coyote, I'm here to sign up for the Gene Drive." Juno adjusted the color on his trench coat irritably, it was still kinda new but the brown leather still felt weird against his chest, kept at bay only by a light red cotton shirt._

_Feeling fidgety, he also adjusted his gloves, these were a bit more comfortable, the black leather was worn but to Juno's mind they were far from their last days. His boots were in similar condition, his pants, tho, were freshly pressed brownjeans and his belt, as new as his coat._

"_-'scuse me. EXCUSE ME." Juno was jolted from his absentminded non-thought, by the man granting admissions. "Are you certain about this? The procedure cannot be reversed once you undergo it. Is that acceptable to you? you'll become a living weapon. This-" The man was cut off by Juno's curt response._

"_I heard it all, read all about it before I even got her. Am I in or am I wasting my time here?" the man stared at Juno with a displeased eye, a young gold haired woman next to him took a moment to look at Juno then placed a hand on the admission mans shoulder and whispered something in his ear._

"…_Alright, go through that door, you'll be taken through the proper procedures from there." Juno nodded and went through the door indicated._

"_Marianel are you sure-"_

"_Yes. I am."_

_End chptr 1_


	3. Chapter 2: To Forge a Legacy: part 2

Chapter 2: To Forge a Legacy: part 2

Upon enetering the facility Juno immediatly noticed that it looked like some sort of ruin styled obstacle course all the matrial was some sort of faux-stone. Guessing what this meant wasn't to had and his suspicion was confirmed a second later. "Before we allow you to undergo the Gene Drive trasformation we have to confirm what your capable, rather, through a series of tests, we'll confirm if your mind and body are fit enough to endure it." The voice echoed from everywhere. Juno found himself looking around trying to confirm the origin of it. He lightly scrathed one of his long furry ears.

"You currently stand in phase one, the Navigation Test, you must successfully pass through this area in less then five minutes. Begin." Without hesitation Juno headed toward the first thing that cuaght his eye, a treasure chest. Upon opening it he discovered a grappling hook gun. He took it and stored it away safely in his jacket. He then looked around for a doorway. Seeing none at eyelevel he began investiagting the metal grates hovering above his. As a test, he went up to the lowest set one and jumped up; confirming with tight hold that it could hold his weight, he hoisted himself up and looked toward the ceiling.

There, towards the ceter ack of the room, there was a metal door. The only other door he could see other then the one he came in from. He climbed up several grates, moving towards the door then paused on the second-to last one to the top. He tried to jump onto the grate overhead, but it was to far up he couldn't reach. Sensing his time was short he looked for something else he could use. He found it in the form of a small metal spike set into another metal grate far enough away from him that he could not jump to it. He took out his hook and fired it, laching onto the spike and pulling himself across.

Once there he was able to climb the rest of the grates and pass through the metal door at the top with a minute to spare. When the door closed behind him another message came from seemingly nowhere and everywhere. "Phase 1 Navigational Precision complete, Phase 2 will be a test of your ability to engage and avoid combat. You have 7 minutes, Begin." Juno looked around, there was what appeared to be a long stretch of maze in front of him, to his left, another treasure chest. He went up and opened it, finding within an official Migrant Seal.

Quickly brushing aside his shock at being handed such technology so easily, he slipped it into his pocket and started to make his way through the maze, only a few steps in the seal emitted a oud white bleet, he quickly grabbed it and pressed the ENC button, sensing as he did so the passing of danger. He pressed onward through the maze, wishing with some irritation that he could find a quicker way through it. After many turns and many presses of the ENC button he was getting nervous, there was no more power left in the Migrant Seal, the next time it went off, he would have to fight.

Not that fighting itself made him nervous, he was more worried about the time limit. a tough fight could destroy his hance of passing this trial. This he could not allow. As he rounded the next corner the Migrant Seal let out a loud red bleet and suddenly Juno found himself surrounded by small red dog-like metal beasts with sigular yellow eyes in their oddly shaped heads. He pulled out his combat knives and got into battle stance. The three of them were sharing a hub at the back of the battlefield, leaving Juno Three positions from which to mount an offensive. Four if he counted the one in which he stood, however, suddenly it became the only option when all three of the beasts began moving, each of them taking up one of the three hubs one after the other.

They each attempted to launch a swiping attack with their claws but Juno was able to swiftly dodge all of them. Once he did that he lunged at the one to occupying left field and plunged his blade into its yellow eye. with a howl the creature distintegrated into red dust. Seeing as his two enemies took their time planning thier next move he took up the now empty left field and focused an Accelrated attack on the beast in centefield, taking it out easily. The beast remaining then moved in and fired a beam of energy from its eye that Juno was uanble to avoid, a baseball sized burn scar took the place of some of the flesh on his right shoulder.

Feeling angry at this, Juno leapt forward and gashed the beasts throat, scoring a critical hitthat instantly killed it, it fell and faded into red dust. Juno rushed through the last of the maze and bolted through the exit before another battle could occur. Feeling that he knew what to expect, he waited for the announcer voice. "Phase 2 Combat Assesment complete, Phase 3 will be test of you ability to think. You have twleve minutes, begin." Juno was dumbstruck, all he saw in front of him was a door. The entire area was four feet square. How dumb did they think he was!?

He walked right up to it and and BONK into it. "What the hell?" Juno rubbed his head and examined the door and the area surrounding it, there were no markings of any kind then he looked to his left and right and felt like an idiot. There was a small alcove in eac one, embedded int each was two stont clamp like objects, and within two of them were small spheres that held the clamps open. He walked up to one and tapped it. it opened a little more, allowing him to take to stone sphere from within, as he did so he could have sworn he heard something like stone sliding against stone. He turned around and looked at the other alcove, in this one was also a pair of clamps, one with a sphere, one without, he walked up and tapped the empty one and put the sphere in. Immediatly the door in front of him opened.

"Heh, too easy." He stepped through the door and into the next room. "WHA!?" It was exactly the same as the one he'd just passed through, only this ones door was open, without thinking he walked toward it fully intent on going to the next area. WA-SHI-NK A bed of spikes shot up from the ground, Juno just barely was able to dodge them. He looked along the floor from a safe distance; and saw, upon close inspection, that each planel leading through the door had the same spikes waiting to impale him.

"Damn it." He looked around at the two receptacles in the room, each held one clamp, no stone spheres. He walked back into the previous room and tapped the clamp that held the previously untouched of the two stones and picked it up, as it came down he heard the sound of stone grinding stone. He checked back into the next room and saw that the door to the spike path had sealed.

He walked through the door and tapped the clamp on his right. When it opened he placed the stone sphere inside. Seeing that the door didn't open, he went and tapped the clamp on the other side. this time the door opened. Smiling to himself he went back into the first antechamber grabbed the remaining stone sphere and dashed like hell through the door as it closed. Before it grinded to the ground he placed the stone sphere in the remaining recaptacle and dashed through the open, now-spikeless path.

WHAM another door. "AGH!!" How much time did he have left? However much it was he now knew why he was given so much time. even with it, he was gunna be cutting it close. He turned and tapped the one clamp he saw in the antechamber. The door failed to open, he heard something happen back the way he came.

He ran back and went back through the passage, the door had closed but was already opening as he approached. Sensing the solution, he took one of the stone spheres out and looked back down the path before the door closed..nothing. He put it back and took the stone sphere from the other side and ran back to the other side and tapped the clamp Success! the door began to open, he placed the final stone sphere in and passed through the door.

"Phase 3: complex logic rythm analysis complete. Phase 4 is the last phase. You will be tested in combat against a Battle Order Sending Sentinel. The time for the test is 3 minutes begin." Juno had time to register only one response.

"WHAT!?" As the giant blue turtle like machine standing upright with spikes on its backs and clawed arms with the head of a dragon charged at him and swiped. Juno dodged barely and attaempted to stab it. CLANG no effect. Not even a scratch.

"GAH!?" He barrel rolled out of the way of the attack and looked arund desperatly for another means of attack. After a short search his eyes spied a chest sitting atop a catwalk some two dozen feet above him. a series of cat walks led up to it. He ran toward them as fast as he could, the giant turtloid fired its double spikes and kncoked Juno forward and onto the ground.

"Aghhh.." he felt poison begin to course through his veins. Before it could set he took an antidote and grabbed for the catwalk. Swinging himself up and out of range of Transks swiping range he ran for the next highest catwalk; he looked down just in time to see the turtloid rip the catwalk he had come off of out of the wall and crumple it.

He climbed madly and finally when he was at the top he slammed open the lid. "Wha?" It was a small L shaped object that appeared to be made of metal. It took him a second to recognize it as an ARM, but not the kind he was being tested for, an older model with a constant physical presence.

"_Focus your will, and pull the trigger_." Juno recalled the words of the woman he had conferred with about how to use an ARM as he jumped down from the catwalk with announcer-guys words in mind and engaged the turtloid in battle. Taking a quick second to get into position he aimed the weapon at the turtloid and focused his will into it. "AGHHHHHHHHHH!!!" He pulled the trigger and a deafening sound erupted from the end of the weapon.

"WHo-Whoaaa." Juno found himself suddenly drained, breathing heavy, the force released from the weapon was so strong it almost scared him. The only thing scarier was the fact that the turtloid was still standing. It charged forward and swiped at him with its tail, knocking him down. "Nrgh!" he leapt back to his feet and unleashed and Accelerated shot at the beast. This time, it let out a deafening howl and several spikes of bright light began to burst through several cracks that began to appear in its body then-

KAAAAAABOOM

It exploded into a shower of debris, which disintegrated to red dust once it struck the ground. Juno stared with wide shocked eyes, unable to believe he'd taken down such a formidable beast. He looked down at the weapon, thinking back to his original introduction to the concept.

_"You will become a living weapon, your body will be reconfigured entirely, you'll retain your original visage, but your body will become like theirs. The alterations will allow you to make use of nano machines that function much like magic; at a cost of MP you can materialize various forms of ARM from your own spirit." _As he looked down at the ARM, he severely doubted the possibility.

"Phase 4 complete, congratulations. Please pass through the door that opens on your right to receive your assessment and debriefing." Juno was still for a moment, then, silently, he passed through the door.

End Chptr 2


	4. Chapter 3: Life is Magical! part 1

Chapter 3: Life is Magical: part 1

Arctic city Abelia

present day...

"WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!" a young gold eyed lady watched from her seat as a couple of kids sleddeon on the icy slopes of Abelia's snowy hills. She turned back to her table and lightly sipped some tea. Losing herself in thought as well.

"It's almost time. Tommorow, I'll be on my way-" she leapt up onto the table and pointed to the sky. "TO GREAT FUN GOOD FOOD AND SPECTACULAR ADVENTURE!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHHAAAA!!!" When she was done freaking out, she noticed that there were several people staring at her. "HI!! EVERYONE!! PLEASE WISH ME LUCK ON MY EXAM!!!" When no one answered the explosive smile on her face gave way to perplexion. She felt somethin tug at her ear. She tilted her eyes to look upon the small pink form of her rodent-like companion partially hidden behind a few strands of brown hair.

"Rika Please! You really must curb this childish behaviour, people think your crazy!" It bob-hopped each time it spoke, as if to emphasize it's indignance. Rika merely smiled a close eyed, wide toothy smile.

"I AM CRAZY!! CRAZY 'BOUT LIFE!! HAHAOOO!!" she somesaulted off the table and landed on a bridge railing with her arms outstretched.

"RIKA DING IT!! STOP BEING SUCH A CHILD YOUR EIGHTEEN ALREADY!!" The small rodent like thing hopped and bobbed while swinging its tiny fists wildly. Rika leapt down from the pole and brushed herself off.

"Oh I can't help it, I'M JUST SO HAPPY!!" She looked off into the distance. "I've never been allowed outside the city, y'know? I'm finally gonna see the world!" the little rodent shook its head.

"Your about the only person in existence who could possibly think the outside world was an inviting place." It hoped down to the ground and started bopping again. "The worlds not gonna be a big amusement park! it's dangerous out there! Deadly! You have to get serious about it!-GEEP!" Rika was kneeling down so she was practically nose to nose with her, a dark glare in her eyes.

"Are you saying I'm not good enough? maybe you think I should just go back home curl up in bed and stay there huh?" She con- tinued to stare darkly. The little rodent looked suddenly very distressed.

"Well I uh Ar UhAgr..." It started to back away slowly.

"GREAT IDEA!! It's late so I should prolly get some sleep! Final exam's tommorrow and then the wrolds my clam!" She ran so fast that the little rodent was left in the dust.

"RIka wait!..It's oyster! Not clam!" It chased after her with all its furry might.

Local Convent, Late Night...

Before Rika got into bed, she busied herself preapring for the next day. She got her clothes out of the closet and laid them out. one long blue coat, a tight long sleaved fashionable fit, down to the waist, at which point the back part opened out, leaving two long "tails" leading down left and right, a light black shirt. a pair of high quality gloves made with brown leather., a pair of black leggings, casual socks, and a pair of brown leather trekking boots.She stood back and admired the ensemble. "There! All done! what do you think Mat-ta?" she asked her small rodent friend.

"This is what your wearing to your final exam?" Mat-ta asked wtih a tint of dumbstruck.

"Yeah, why? Something wrong with it?"

"No nothing, _if you happen to live inside a far-east cartoon show..."_ it whispered the last under its breath. Rika ignored it.

"Hmp, anyway, I already freshened up. Its about time I got to bed, you better sleep too Mat-ta." Rika flopped down onto her bed as she said this, twisting herself into the covrs for maximum warmth."

"Not yet, I'm going to go have a word with my borther Wat-sa. I'll be back when its time for the exam."

"ZzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZzzz"

Seeing that its master was in no condition to respond, Mat-ta scurried out of the room and through a few strategically placed holes in the wall until she was outside. "Alright Wat-sa, where are you?" She lifted her whispers to the air and sniffed, when she caught her brothers scent she began to follow it.

"Mat-ta!"

"GEEP!"

Mat-ta stopped short and looked in the direction of the sound. There was her brother, off in a dark corner, munching on some cheese. "Wat-sa! piggin out as usual I see." Mat-ta scurried over to him.

"Just a late night snack sis. Anyway whats up? You said somethin's urgent?" He continued munching idly, he seemed to deliberatly take a bite and talk before finishing the bite.

"Yes, its urgent! Rika's final exam is tommorrow!"

"So? Lotsa younguns are taking their final exams tommorow whats the big deal?"

"She...She's not READY Wat-sa...Oh you just don't understand, those proctors only look at performance, they don't care about attitude at all!"

"So? rika's a bright girl, she'll come out top of her class I bet."

"That's my POINT, her skills and her maturity are two diffeent things! She's still such a child!"

"And?"

"And!? AND!? Wat-sa do you even understand what it is that's expected of these students? The outside world is deadly, lethal, dangerous, trecherous! There's so many ways Rika could get her self into trouble! And with the way she behaves it just means she'll be even more vulnerable once she's out there! I just, I can't stand by and watch her go through th exam when I know she's not ready for what comes next! I have t-to do something!" Mat-ta was panting histerically at this point. Wat-sa just casually munched his cheese, seeming utterly oblivious to his sisters histerics.

"I'll tell you what you need to do. You need to stop treatin Rika like a baby. Your partially to blame for her behaviour you know? All her she's been told what to do how to it, and very rarely given the lee-way to make her own decisions. How can you expect somebody who grows up like that to be capable of mature decisions? You never gave her the chance to make any."

"But-"

"Stop babying her, this is your chance to let her see that life isn't all fun and games. If you keep trying to protect her its just going to hit that much harder when she DOES come to face it. Let her make mistakes. She won't learn or mature unless you do."

"..." Mat-ta rubbed her head in furious frustration. "Ohhhh, I suppose your right..."

"'Course I'm right. I'm Wat-sa The problem sol-va!"

"...Where'd that title come from?"

"Made it up myself! I'm a legend!"

"In your own mind maybe..."

"Hey!"

"So long Wat-sa! I have an exam tommorow! musn-t be under rested!" Mat-ta ran fast from her brothers company.

"Grr, your not so mature yerself prissy-pants." Wat-sa stalked off, munching the last of his cheese as he went.

end chptr 3


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